WELLINGTON.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XX, Issue 3933, 23 June 1877, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

[from oxtr own correspondent.] June 19th, 1877. The Wairarapa election excites some little interest in Wellington. The candidates are R. J. Duncan and G. Beetham. Duncan was first in the field ; both are working most industriously. Beetham has a powerful hard-working committee. Both candidates are very sanguine. There are 910 voters. Beetham will probably get the Scandinavians and Maoris ; a block vote in each case. Duncan has the publicans' interest. If Pharazyn goes to the poll he will not stand a shadow of a chance. Beetham seems safe to win, especially as no other local man is coming forward to divide the interest. Mr Bunny, M. H. R. , will support Duncan. The Wellingtion City papers are very severe on Beetham's supposed want of "gab," without which it is said no man can get on in the House. It is certain, however, that an honest, thorough-going, pleasant, quiet man, who is friendly with everyone and at enmity with no one, mil often have more real weight than a loud-voiced, talkative, offensive blusterer. The system of sewerage drafted by Mr Climie, 0.E., is to be submitted to the criticism of Mr Blackett, Assistant-Engineer-in-Chief . Blackett is not a brilliant man, but the people have thorough confidence in his honesty, and think him a good sound worker. It is highly probable that he will make extensive alterations. Already a difficulty has occurred, for Mr Crawford, \ipon whose sand drives the sewage was to be deposited, declares he will not take it unless it be delivered to a higher level than 8 feet above highwater mai-k — it would not flow over the sand. The sewage must therefore either be poured by a long canal into Lyell Bay, or it must be pumped even higher than the 22 feet which Mr Climie allowed for. Presently several other difficulties will crop up. The Town Council have resolved to grant £100 a-year to each of the fire brigades, for the purpose of maintaining a couple of night-watchmen — one in Te Aro, the other in Lambton-quay — so that the flames may be seen directly they burst forth, and the alarm be immediately sounded. This is a most valuable idea, and when carried out will save much disaster. Most fires occur at night. Iron roofs exist almost everywhex - e, preventing a large amount of danger from falling sparks. Dr Hector has been dangerously ill with typhoid fever, but now is happily out of danger, and rapidly recovering. His death would have been an irreparable loss to the country. He is by far the most learned scientific man in the colonies. When at home he was made imich of by the various learned societies in London. A working man's club is to be started immediately. Such institutions are x-eally excellent. If they were more numerous there would be far less drunkenness. At present the working man, growing weary of the long evenings spent in his small home or his tiny bedroom, has no place to visit except the publichouse, where he meets all his friends, driven thither for similar reasons. It is a pity that teetotallers and Rechabites do not more fully realise how much drunkenness could be checked by making the working man's leisure more comfortable. Working men's clubs in other jriaccs have proved great successes. Napier could well support one. For a wonder certain creditors have actually decided to take action against a

bankrupt under the Fraudulent Debtors Act. It is a pity that this brief spasm of righteous indignation is not more often repeated. The great libel case, Hon. H. R. Russell v. the Waka Maori, will be tried on the 20th August. It creates much interest in legal circles. The lawyers at all events will not grow lean on it. Tl 0 editor of the Evening Post will about the same date seek £500 damages from the editor of the Evening Argus. Of course, , everyone Avho has been flayed by either editor is keenly hoping that that particular editor will be hurt by the action. The Town Council is quarrelling vigorously over the dismissal of certain of its servants. One councillor proposes that the town clerk shall always be a solicitor, and would increase tho salary. By this means the town council would be freed from the necessity of paying an outside lawyer. The present wharfinger and the city surveyor Avill probably be got rid of. Very little trade in shipping just now. Socially everything is dull. No balls now take place, and evening parties are extreme rarities. People are quietly resting, preparing themselves for the excitement of the session. The rink is greatly frequented, and in the evening and afternoon i 3 the scene of flirtations innumerable The rink is composed of two large rooms ; the upper is occasionally reserved for ladies and children. It is reported that a large company is being formed in Auckland. It consists of several men who own large swamps, including the famous Piako. The company will own about half a million of acres of swamp. They propose to drain these, to cut them into small blocks, and introduce a crowd of immigrants. The cab-drivers are meditating a strike At present the lowest price is 6d for nearly two miles along a particular track. It is proposed to make it Is, and to take no one but the first hirer of the cab. When the new street tram-cars are in working order, a few months hence, most of the cabs will be run off the roads. The Wellington Philosophical Society will hold its first meeting on the 21st of July, when Mr Buller, the barrister, will deliver the presidential address.